Grippable container having ribbed protuberances along the side walls thereof and container blank for forming same



July 2. 1968 H. s. MALBY ETAL 38,390,828

GRIPPABLE CONTAINER HAVING RIBBED PROTUBERANCES ALONG THE 'SIDE WALLS THEREOF AND CONTAINER BLANK FOR FORMING SAME Filed April 5. 1966 l a6 z: g-fig 52aL A 56 n A FICLS L 2., 16 lNvr-:NToRs Hama/w s. naar l mea u. Reck/MGEL Hi /s/ ROGERS. Tos/E JInn By l L United States Patent O ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A container and container blank of plastic material, or the like, adapted to have a plurality of side panels provided with at least six vertically extended fold-lines, at least two of which adapted to lie in a common plane to allow said blank to be folded flat to form a low silhouette, said side panels :also having a series of foldlines directed horizontally thereacross and selectively foldable as said blank is erected so as to form a series of V-shaped inwardly directed, horizontally aligned protuberances continuous about the panels.

This invention relates to the manufacture of closed containers constructed of plastics materials and foldable from flat blanks to upright configurations of rectangular or square cross section.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a continuous series of nearly horizontal rib panels about the interior wall surface of such container on which a vertical lifting force can be exerted, 'as during the dispensing of the container contents, without inwardly deforming the side walls of the container. In carrying out the object in accordance with the present invention, the ho'rizontal rib panels are preferably formed by selectively folding only a portion of the central panel area of the container blank from a flat to an angular orientation. Each rib panel is initially connected along one of such foldlines to a second vertically adjacent rib panel also defined by a series of foldlines. These rib panels fold inwardly to form a series of V-shaped rib protuberances continuous about the circumference of the interior surface of the completed container. The upper halves of these protuberances form the force-accepting rib panels of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the pattern of the foldlines over the central panel area to provide the nearly horizontal rib panels preferably includes at least three spaced apart horizontal foldlines. These horizontal foldlines extend across the entire width of the container blank. The most central of the foldlines forms the attaching edges of the rib panels. The outer foldlines integrally connect these panels to the remaining segments of the central panels of the blank.

To accommodate the formation of the protuberances at the intersection of the horizontal and vertical foldlines, the foldline lpattern further provides individual pairs of diagonal foldlines on two opposed rib panels. Each pair of diagonals radiates from the intersection point of the vertical foldlines with the two outer horizontally spacedapart foldlines. They terminate at la common mating point along the center horizontal foldline. When the rib panels are inwardly folded along the center horizontal foldline, right triangles defined by the diagonals are pivoted outwardly along the diagonals so that the ends of the adjacent rib panels fold into the vacated area without hindrance.

In a copending patent application (High-Strength 3,399,828 Patented July 2, 1968 ICC Container and Container Blank Having Seamless Bottom Walls, and Method of Forming Same, Ser. No. 549,086,

lcd Apr. 5, 1966, Howard S. Malby, Fred M. Reckn-agel and Roger S. Tobie), there is described a flat container blank for forming a plastics container having a seamless bottom wall 4and preformed side panels. The blank is adapted to be foldable along preselected foldlines to for-m a container of rectangular or square cross section. In accordance with that application, the blank preferably has six straight, vertical foldlines-four which form the corners of the completed container, and two which allow the blank to lie fiat to ease stacking, storing and handling problems prior to erection. When the blank is erected to form a completed container, the last-mentioned two vertical foldiines are positioned opposite to one another (relative to the center of geometry of the container) between two corners of the container. After the container is filled with fluids or solids, the contents are usually dispensed by a person lifting the container by gripping the side walls with his hand. The hand pressure must be sufficient to adequately grip the container but must be below the rupture modulus of the plastics material. Accordingly, if the gripping area of the hand is wet or the hand pressure is too great, there is an increased likelihood of the contents spilling from the container. Either the container may slip from the hand as it is lifted or the side panels may become overstressed with minute tears resulting along segments of the sides or bottom panels of the container.

Other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent after an examination of the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

FIGURE l is a plan view, partially cut away, of a container blank appropriately scored to provide strengthened side walls;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of an erected container of the container blank of FIGURE 1 having an infolded, concave bottom wall and upwardly directed side walls;

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of the container of FIGURE 2 in which nearly horizontal rib panels are provided by the inward V-shaped projections formed in a horizontal plane normal to the axis of symmetry of the container;

FIGURE 4 is 'a side View, partially cut away, of the container of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6--6 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the container of FIG- URE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGURE l, container blank 10 is fashioned with a series of foldlines dividing the blank into a plurality of panel areas. When folded, usually toward the geometric center 11 of the blank, these panel areas form a completed container of square or rectangular cross section.

Blank 10 includes a central panel area 12 which is fashioned to the side walls or body portion of the container, upper panel area 13 which forms the top closure of the container and lower panel area 14 which forms the bottom of the container. The near and remote sides of the panel areas 12, 13 and 14 integrally connect to each other along vertical foldlines 15a and 15b which allow the blank to lie fiat in a common plane passing through lower primary foldline 16 at the lower edge of the blank. As viewed, the foldline pattern of the near sides is illustrated in FIGURE l; the rear side is identical to the illustrated foldline pattern.

Bottom panel area 14 is defined between upper horiincludes pairs of bottom panels 18a, 18b, 19a, 1gb, 20a and 201) integrally connected along the foldline 16. At the vertical sideedges, each panel is seen to be in integral edge engagement with adjacent panels along the lower vertical extensions of foldings 40, 41, 42 and 43 or along previously mentioned foldlines a and 15b.

At each end of the nonadjacent panel pairsi.e., panels 13a and 18h and panels 20a and Zilladiagonal foldlines 2id, 2lb, 22a and 2212 divide these panel pairs into la plurality of right triangular elements. The container blank is thus adapted to be upwardly folded .along the foldlines 21a, 2lb, 22a and 2211 as pressure is applied along foldlines 15a and 15b to form a pair of tuck-up panels and 31 shown in FIGURE 7. As illustrated, the tuckup panels are triangularly shaped and conveniently attached at vertices 23l to the exterior surfaces of the bottom panels 19a and 19h.

At the attaching surfaces, the bottom panels 19a and 1% are not formed in a common plane normal to the side walls of the containers, but are reentrantly shaped with respect thereto. For this purpose, the primary foldline 16 of the blank is formed such that it slopes diagonally across the blank. Accordingly, its length dimension is greater than that of edges 24 and 25 of these panels. Relative movement of the panels by pivoting about primary foldline 16 reorients them with respect to the center of the container.

Upper panel area 13 at the top of the blank is formed of a plurality of panel extensions 33a, 33h, 34a, 34h, a and 351) intersecting upper foldlines 36 and 37. These extensions B3n-3519 allow inward folding of rib panels 38 to give the completed container a characteristic closure as, for example, a gable shape having an outwardly flexible spout well known in the art.

Central area l2 is fashioned to form the side walls or main body of the completed container. It comprises four vertically directed foldlines 4G, 41, 42 and 43 intersecting the lower and upper horizontal foldlines 17 and 36 to define side wall panels 45a, 45h, 46a, 46b, 47 and 48. As indicated, the pairs of side panels a, 45b, 46a and 46b are integrally attached along the vertical foldlines 15a :and 15b', and the panels comprising each pair are initially back-folded upon each other, so that the blank may lie in a plane parallel to the panels (see FIGURE l). However, these panels are eventually refolded to become aligned in a common plane to form a side wall of the container when the at blank is erected as indicated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4.

Across the width of the central area is provided a series of foldlines forming rib panel area The pattern of these foldlines across panel area 50 includes two outer, more remote spaced-apart horizontal foldlines and 56 near the top and bottom, respectively, of the blank and a center horizontal score line S7 therebetween. The outer foldlines 55 and 56 are asymmetrically spaced with respect to center horizontal foldline 57 to provide a larger subpanel area near the lower horizontal line 17, and a smaller subpanel area near the upper horizontal line 36. These lines intersect vertical foldlines 4%, 41, 42 and 43. Rib panels 51a, 5112, 52a, 52E, 53a, 53b, 54a and 54b formed by these foldlines extend only over a portion of the side panels and are selectively folded to form a series of V-shaped inward protuberances about the circumference of the completed container as shown in FIGURES 3, 4, 5 and 6. The upper halves of the protuberances-ie., rib panels 51a, 52a, 53a and Srta-are nearly horizontal with respect to a plane normal to the axis of symmetry of the container. Consequently, a lifting force can be applied to these panels-as for example, when the contents of a filled container are dispensedwithout deforrning the side walls.

Asymmetrical orientation of the foldline pattern occurs at the intersection of foldlines 55, 56 and57 with the vertical corner foldlines 40, 4I, 42 and 43 where nonnadjacent pairs vof ribV panels-ie., panels 51a andrSlb and panels 52d and 52hare each provided with pairs of aligned diagonal foldlines S8 and 59. As indicated in FIGURE 2, diagonals S8 and diagonals 59 have separate origin points located at the intersections of foldlines 55 and 56 and vertical corner foldlines 40-43. `-They terminate at common intersection points with each other p on the 'centerhorizontal line 57. Each diagonal defines an upper right triangle 61a and a lower right triangle 61h at each endof the rib panels 51a, 5112, 52a and 52h; bases 62 thereof lie along the vertical corner foldlines; the hypotenuses along the diagonals 58 and 59 and common altitudes 63 along the center foldline 57. The purpose of these foldlines is to accommodate the inward relocation of the rib panels in two dimensions as the rib protuberances 6i) are formed. y

In forming the protuberances 60, the container blank of FIGURE l is rst erected to form the four side walls and bottom wall of the container of FIGURE 2. The rib panels Sla-and 511), as well as panels 52a, 52h, 53 and 54, are then folded inwardly along the center horizontal line 57 decreasing the height of the side wall by the amount of 'inward movement that occurs. As pressure is applied along the foldline 57, simultaneously pressure is applied along the diagonals 5S and 59 of the triangles 61a and 61b causing these triangles to be folded along the diagonals. Folding Pressure is terminated when triangles 61a and 61b become substantially aligned (nested) with the ends of opposed inwardly directed rib panels 53a, 53h, 54a and 5411, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 5.

It is noted that the rib panels 53a, 53h, 54a and 54h extend the entire width of the completed side wall and connect to rib panels 51a, Sib, 52a and 52h along the bases of the triangles 61a and 61h. The rib panels 51a, Slb, 52a and 52b, however, do not extend the full width of the side panels between the corner foldlines of the container, but are decreased by the dimensions of the altitudes of the triangles 61a and 611) at the ends thereof tio accommodate the inward folding of the panels 53a, 53b, 54a and 54b.

As shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, once the vertex 64 of each protuberance is interior of the plane of the side wall of the completed container, however, the V-shaped orientation of the rib panels is semipermanently established. The horizontal surfaces of the upper halves of the protuberances resist relocation of the panels to a position c'oplanar with the side walls because of the direction of the pressure of the medium within the lled container. That is, the pressure of the filling medium is directed downward relative to the bottom closure of the container onto the upper rib panels 51a, 52a, 53a and 54a.

It should be noted that the V-shaped orientation of the rib panels can also be permanently established by attaching the upper right triangles 61a to respective end portions of the upper panels 51a and 52a. A multiplicity of adhesive or bonding procedures are available for this task.

Triangles 61a and 61b of the panels 51a, 51b,.52a and 52b differ in area because ofthe unequal spacing between the horizontal foldlines 55, 56 and 57. Preferably, the bases 62 of the lower right triangles 61h (along the corner foldlines) are greater than those of the upper triangles 61a to provide an inwardly directed smooth contour to the lower half of the protuberances 60 of the completed container as indicated in FIGURES 5 and 6. It should also be noted that the depth of the protuberances 60. directly relates to the length of the altitudes 63 of the triangles 61a and 61h along foldline 57.r In order that the gripping area available tio a person in handling and erecting a illed container is the same about all sides of the container, however, it is preferred that both the base 62 and altitude `63 of each triangle 61a be of equal length.

It should ,be noted that other foldlines patterns within the central area of the container blank may also be used inpconjunction with the present invention. For example, although this invention is directed primarily to use with a container blank having a seamless bottom, other forms could also be used in conjunction therewith. For example, a container blank constructed from sheet stock, as is conventional in the packaging art, could include the protuberances of the present invention. Furthermore, a series of V-shaped protuberances may be formed along each of the side panels extending in the vertical direction should the pressure created by the medium being contained be sufficiently great to warrant more than one protuberance per side panel.

These and other advantages are obtainable when operating in accordance with one foregoing embodiment of the invention or with any of numerous variations that could be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention; and all such variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims are intended to be embraced thereby.

We claim:

1. A materials-enclosing container of plastics material or the like, fashioned from a flat container blank having a series of foldlines dividing said blank into at least a side panel area of a plurality of side panels integrally joined together along vertically extending edges to form a fluid-tight side closure area, comprising a body member having four coextensive continuous side walls, two opposed side walls with respect to the geometric center of said container being provided with coplanar straight vertically extending foldlines adapted to allow folding therealong so as to provide a flat container blank prior to erection to form said container, each of said side walls integrally engaging two adjacent side walls along vertical edges thereof, and having horizontally aligned V-shaped inwardly directed protuberances transversely disposed across the broad surfaces thereof to add strength along said two opposed side walls provided with said coplanar straight vertical foldlines, a top closure engaging an upper edge of said body member and bottom closure means in engagement with the lower edge of said body member to form a fluid-tight container.

2. Said container of claim 1 in which each of said V- shaped protuberances comprises first and second rib panels integrally connected together along a first horizontally extending broad edge forming the vertex of said protuberance and connected to said side panels along opposed second broad edges, said first rib panel being substantially normal to said side walls to accept lifting forces necessary for dispensing contents within said container.

3. Said container of claim 1 in which said bottom closure means comprises a seamless bottom wall integrally and continuously engaging a lower edge of said body member along a horizontal continuous foldline.

4. A container blank formed of plastics material or the like in which a series of foldlines divides said blank into foldable panel areas, comprising a plurality of top closure panels, a plurality of side panels attached to said top closure panels, a plurality of bottom panels attached to said side panels as extensions thereof, said plurality of side panels having at least six vertically directed foldlines therethrough and a plurality of horizontally directed foldlines intersecting said six vertical foldlines and extending across the broad surfaces of each of said side panels to form a plurality of rib panels, at least four of said vertically directed foldlines being selectively adapted to fold said side panels relative to one another to form side walls of a completed container and at least two additional vertically directed foldlines being adapted to allowl said blank to be folded flat therealong to form a blank of low silhouette, said vertically directed foldlines adapted to allow said side panels defined thereby to form a continuous fluid-tight side closure area, said plurality of rib panels being so constructed and adapted to be selectively foldable along said horizontal foldlines to form V-shaped inwardly directed protuberances continuous about and in horizontal alignment along said plurality of side panels to add strength therealong.

5. Said container blank of claim 4 in which said plurality of horizontally directed foldlines forming said rib panels comprises at least three spaced-apart horizontal foldlines across the broad surface of each side panel intersecting said vertical foldlines at ends thereof.

6. Said container blank of claim 5 in which said three spaced-apart horizontal foldlines are horizontally parallel, and in which rib panels of opposed side panels include sets of oppositely inclined diagonal foldlines to accommodate inward relocation of said rib panels of adjacent side panels.

7. Said container blank of claim 6 in which each set of said inclined diagonal foldlines comprises first and second oppositely inclined diagonal foldlines having separate origins on the said panel areas at the intersection of two of said spaced-apart horizontal foldlines with one of said vertical foldlines and a single intersection point with each other along a selected location of said remaining spaced-apart horizontal foldlines.

8. Said container blank of claim 4 in which each of said bottom panels has at least one terminating edge in an integral engagement with a terminating edge of another of said bottom panels to form a fluid-tight bottom ciosure area.

'9. Said container blank of claim 8 in which said fluidtight bottom closure area includes a remote primary edge in coplanar alignment with at least said two opposed straight vertical foldlines of said side panels to thereby place opposed broad surfaces of said side, top and bottom panels in a juxtapositional relationship and form said at container blank of low silhouette.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,791,367 5/1957 Mefford 229-41 2,884,181 4/1959 McCormick. 3,021,045 2/1962 Morris 229-8 X DONALD F. NORTON, Primary Examiner. 

